International Migrants Day: 7 Facts And Statistics About Migrants In 2013

International Migrants Day 2013 is a day to recognize and celebrate the millions of people around the world who have left their homeland in search of a better future or a new opportunity. First proclaimed by the United Nations in 2000, December 18th invites countries to celebrate International Migrants Day "through the dissemination of information ...and through the sharing of experiences and the design of actions to ensure their protection." In this spirit, based on the latest Pew Research study, Latin Times has compiled 7 Facts And Statistics About Migrants In 2013.

1. The US Is Still The Top Destination: According the the Pew Research Center, the United States remains the top destination in the world for migrants. The study reveals that "one-in-five (46 million) migrants now live in the U.S." Moreover, the amount of immigrants to the Us has doubled from 23 million in 1990 to 46 million in 2013. The statisitic is reflective of a worldwide growth in the number of immigrants travelling to high-income countries: "160 million, or 69%, of international migrants now live in high-income countries."

2. The Largest Percentage of Immigrants to the US Are Latinos: Migrants from Latin America and the Caribbean make up the largest percentage of migrants received by the United States - in fact, over half or 55 percent of migrants to the United States come from this region.

3. Europe Is The Region With Most Migrants: While the United States still receives the largest percentage of migrants as a counrty, when taken as a global region, Europe is still the the top destination for world migrants as a region. 33 percent of migrants travel to Europe: this group is made up of both migrants from other European countries and from lower income countries in Asia and North Africa.

4. Asia Is The Largest Region of Origin: The greatest number of migrants in the world originates from the Asia-Pacific region, with 36 percent of migrants coming from this area. Meanwhile, Latin America is second with 16 percent of global migrants coming from this region.

5. India Is The Top Country of Origin: When examining migrant origins based on specific countries, India is the top country of origin worldwide with 14.2 million Indicans living outside of their homeland. Meanwhile, Mexico is second with 13.2 million migrants worldwide.

6. Puerto Ricans Move: Puerto Rico has the largest percentage of migrants with 33 percent of Puerto Ricans living outside their country, most of them in the United States..

7. Remittances Have Trippled Since 2000: The amount of money sent by migrants has dramitically risen in the last 13 years, with over 511 billion dollars transferred from migrants to their home countries.